A little conspiracy with Microsoft Word

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What if Microsoft Word corrected very complicated words wrongly so that you would misspell them from that point onwards. Nothing major, just a few letters swapped around, or an i replaced with an e. Do you think it would work? I know that a lot of people will use the auto correct function without checking to see how the word is actually spelt. Furthermore, you probably spelt it wrong in the first place, so you have no idea if the auto correct is actually correct. It looks pretty correct. Anyone who actually knows how to spell the word will simply write the miscorrection off as a programming error.

Thoughts?

Umm, I suppose it's possible in theory. But then again, anybody who reads what you write will notice the errors and would most probably point them out to you. Microsoft have nothing to gain from this. Eventually, people will catch on and then Microsoft will be forced to fix it, or they'll just use a better alternative.

The entire thing is pointless. It would make sense only if Microsoft look anything like ths

image

I'm assuming that microsoft word uses a clone of the 'spell' program that was developed around the 70's/80's, which is absolutely awesome, but doesn't necessarily recognise all words.

It gets grammar wrong quite a lot, and people will generally just trust what the dialogue says. Which is why I use a text editor most of the time (less distractions too).

DoPo:

image

Oh look, its Bill Gates!

The only conspiracy is that Microsoft wants everyone to spell English like an American. Now that's just plain wrong, and is making English kids spell wrong in class etc.

Doesn't that word have a 'z', not an 's'?
No. No it doesn't.

SmashLovesTitanQuest:

DoPo:

image

Oh look, its Bill Gates!

yep that looks like exactly the sort of person who would give over 1/2 his hard earned money to charity and encourage other super rich people to do the same the selfish cunt!

HarryScull:

SmashLovesTitanQuest:

DoPo:

image

Oh look, its Bill Gates!

yep that looks like exactly the sort of person who would give over 1/2 his hard earned money to charity and encourage other super rich people to do the same the selfish cunt!

Yup, its rather hard to insult a man who has given $30-40 BILLION to charity.

You want a IT guy who fits that picture, that would be Steve Jobs.

Mr Pantomime:
What if Microsoft Word corrected very complicated words wrongly so that you would misspell them from that point onwards.

Thoughts?

What would be the point of this? Would they be doing it deliberately?

I would not be affected because I don't trust what Microsoft Word does in its corrections. I also rarely misspell complicated words.

HarryScull:
yep that looks like exactly the sort of person who would give over 1/2 his hard earned money to charity and encourage other super rich people to do the same the selfish cunt!

Actually I was thinking it looks more like someone who would deliberately sabotage spellcheck in Word to troll millions of people around the world, but suit yourself.

(I mean seriously people, I was joking. How the fuck do you read DoPo's post, then mine, and not get the joke.)

It might work on some, but I have a dictionary.

TheBobmus:
The only conspiracy is that Microsoft wants everyone to spell English like an American. Now that's just plain wrong, and is making English kids spell wrong in class etc.

Doesn't that word have a 'z', not an 's'?
No. No it doesn't.

Unless, you know, you switch the spellcheck to English (U.K.). At least I've done that. For years now.

SmashLovesTitanQuest:
(I mean seriously people, I was joking. How the fuck do you read DoPo's post, then mine, and not get the joke.)

I really wander that, too. I was going to respond to your post with "A ha, now it's obvious" or something and add a name tag then the Windows logo on his hat but I thought it was too much work. I blame myself for not exposing the joke.

Mr Pantomime:
What if Microsoft Word corrected very complicated words wrongly so that you would misspell them from that point onwards. Nothing major, just a few letters swapped around, or an i replaced with an e. Do you think it would work? I know that a lot of people will use the auto correct function without checking to see how the word is actually spelt. Furthermore, you probably spelt it wrong in the first place, so you have no idea if the auto correct is actually correct. It looks pretty correct. Anyone who actually knows how to spell the word will simply write the miscorrection off as a programming error.

Thoughts?

No, it wouldn't.... We have these things called "universities", within these universities are people known as "English professors" who would cry foul so hard and so fast it would make your head spin.

Also "spelt" and "miscorrection" are not words......... wouldn't mention it if this wasn't a thread about spelling errors, so..........

Kendarik:

HarryScull:

SmashLovesTitanQuest:

Oh look, its Bill Gates!

yep that looks like exactly the sort of person who would give over 1/2 his hard earned money to charity and encourage other super rich people to do the same the selfish cunt!

Yup, its rather hard to insult a man who has given $30-40 BILLION to charity.

You want a IT guy who fits that picture, that would be Steve Jobs.

Don't insult us IT guys... Jobs was a marketer not an IT guy, nor an engineer.

Delete Please

DoPo:

TheBobmus:
The only conspiracy is that Microsoft wants everyone to spell English like an American. Now that's just plain wrong, and is making English kids spell wrong in class etc.

Doesn't that word have a 'z', not an 's'?
No. No it doesn't.

Unless, you know, you switch the spellcheck to English (U.K.). At least I've done that. For years now.

Word was famous for reverting back to a US dictionary no matter what. And it's not like UK is the default, and you'd have to know the US spelling was foreign and wrong to change to that.
But yeah, you can switch.

"What are we gonna do tonight, Bill?"

"Same thing we do every night, PaperClip. Try to take over the world!"

image

Not really sure I get it. What would they have to gain by deliberately sabotaging their own product?

MorganL4:

Also "spelt" and "miscorrection" are not words......... wouldn't mention it if this wasn't a thread about spelling errors, so..........

Both of these are in fact words.
spelt is the past tense of 'spell'
miscorrection means an erroneous/wrong correction

Yes, it all makes sense now, Microsoft will use this method to make people analfabetic and control the WORLD!

idarkphoenixi:
Not really sure I get it. What would they have to gain by deliberately sabotaging their own product?

World Domination. Don't question it.

TheBobmus:

DoPo:

TheBobmus:
The only conspiracy is that Microsoft wants everyone to spell English like an American. Now that's just plain wrong, and is making English kids spell wrong in class etc.

Doesn't that word have a 'z', not an 's'?
No. No it doesn't.

Unless, you know, you switch the spellcheck to English (U.K.). At least I've done that. For years now.

Word was famous> for reverting back to a US dictionary no matter what. And it's not like UK is the default, and you'd have to know the US spelling was foreign and wrong to change to that.
But yeah, you can switch.

Well, hasn't been a huge problem for me. And my native language isn't English, so It makes sense to me that native speakers will have even less of an issue with spotting wrongly underlined words (*types in "centre"* *gets underlined* "Oh, right" *changes the spellchecker*). Dunno, I only had to do it a few times and then it became a habit to glance down at the spellcheck dictionary. If you think UK to US spellcheck is annoying, you haven't had the spellcheck entirely stop correcting a different language (I assume it goes "Wait, what language I knew? Oh right US English. Wait, that doesn't even look like English. I can't deal with it, I'll just leave it.") which leaves all spelling errors inside.

F'Angus:
"What are we gonna do tonight, Bill?"

"Same thing we do every night, PaperClip. Try to take over the world!"

image

They're Clippy and Bill Gates
Yes, Clippy and Bill Gates
One's tech genius
the other's insane.
They're a Micrososoft device
Their genes are not nice
They're creepy
They're Clippy and Bill Gates, Gates, Gates, Gates, Gates
Gates, Gates, Gates, Gates
Gates.

Before each night is done
Their plan will be unfurled
By the dawning of the sun
They'll take over the world.

They're Clippy and Bill Gates,
Yes, Clippy and Bill Gates
Their false-write campaign
Is easy to explain.
To prove their lousy worth

They'll overthrow the Earth
They're creepy
They're Clippy and Bill Gates, Gates, Gates, Gates, Gates
Gates, Gates, Gates, Gates
Narf!

TheBobmus:

MorganL4:

Also "spelt" and "miscorrection" are not words......... wouldn't mention it if this wasn't a thread about spelling errors, so..........

Both of these are in fact words.
spelt is the past tense of 'spell'
miscorrection means an erroneous/wrong correction

If he lives in America he is actually half right, at least in terms of the word 'spelt'. It is a word, however, in America it actually refers to a wheat, a fact most don't know. If the OP is not from America then he is right in saying spelt, otherwise Morgan was right about it being wrong, just not for the right reason.

Miscorrection really is a word though buddy, sorry.

DoPo:

TheBobmus:

DoPo:

Unless, you know, you switch the spellcheck to English (U.K.). At least I've done that. For years now.

Word was famous> for reverting back to a US dictionary no matter what. And it's not like UK is the default, and you'd have to know the US spelling was foreign and wrong to change to that.
But yeah, you can switch.

Well, hasn't been a huge problem for me. And my native language isn't English, so It makes sense to me that native speakers will have even less of an issue with spotting wrongly underlined words (*types in "centre"* *gets underlined* "Oh, right" *changes the spellchecker*). Dunno, I only had to do it a few times and then it became a habit to glance down at the spellcheck dictionary. If you think UK to US spellcheck is annoying, you haven't had the spellcheck entirely stop correcting a different language (I assume it goes "Wait, what language I knew? Oh right US English. Wait, that doesn't even look like English. I can't deal with it, I'll just leave it.") which leaves all spelling errors inside.

F'Angus:
"What are we gonna do tonight, Bill?"

"Same thing we do every night, PaperClip. Try to take over the world!"

image

They're Clippy and Bill Gates
Yes, Clippy and Bill Gates
One's tech genius
the other's insane.
They're a Micrososoft device
Their genes are not nice
They're creepy
They're Clippy and Bull Gates, Gates, Gates, Gates, Gates
Gates, Gates, Gates, Gates
Gates.

Before each night is done
Their plan will be unfurled
By the dawning of the sun
They'll take over the world.

They're Clippy and Bill Gates,
Yes, Clippy and Bill Gates
Their false-write campaign
Is easy to explain.
To prove their lousy worth

They'll overthrow the Earth
They're creepy
They're Clippy and Bull Gates, Gates, Gates, Gates, Gates
Gates, Gates, Gates, Gates
Narf!

... *Clap... clap... clap...*

Wait, "Bull Gates"? I must stop this nonsenseical-ness! Grammar Nazi, AWAY!!!

It wouldn't affect me because I use LibreWriter, but even if someone did replace my dictionary, I'd probably notice.

DoPo:

F'Angus:
"What are we gonna do tonight, Bill?"

"Same thing we do every night, PaperClip. Try to take over the world!"

image

They're Clippy and Bill Gates
Yes, Clippy and Bill Gates
One's tech genius
the other's insane.
They're a Micrososoft device
Their genes are not nice
They're creepy
They're Clippy and Bull Gates, Gates, Gates, Gates, Gates
Gates, Gates, Gates, Gates
Gates.

Before each night is done
Their plan will be unfurled
By the dawning of the sun
They'll take over the world.

They're Clippy and Bill Gates,
Yes, Clippy and Bill Gates
Their false-write campaign
Is easy to explain.
To prove their lousy worth

They'll overthrow the Earth
They're creepy
They're Clippy and Bull Gates, Gates, Gates, Gates, Gates
Gates, Gates, Gates, Gates
Narf!

Haha Awesome...cheers for that dude.

HarryScull:

SmashLovesTitanQuest:

DoPo:

image

Oh look, its Bill Gates!

yep that looks like exactly the sort of person who would give over 1/2 his hard earned money to charity and encourage other super rich people to do the same the selfish cunt!

you know you have trapped yourself in an conspiracy ambush:


image

soooo what,s the point of this? making higher ups look like idiots?

The Crazy Legs:
Wait, "Bull Gates"?

<.<

>.>

No, check that again, it's definitely "Bill".

You must be misquoting me on purpose to tarnish my name.

Zachary Amaranth:
It might work on some, but I have a dictionary.

You check every word. . . word. . . you mispell in the dictionary?

Also this isn't a conspiracy, just an idea for one. A very bad idea.

DoPo:

The Crazy Legs:
Wait, "Bull Gates"?

<.<

>.>

No, check that again, it's definitely "Bill".

You must be misquoting me on purpose to tarnish my name.

He works for Microsoft, clearly. Just trying to make you think "Bull Gates" is actually spelt "Bill Gates" through clever misdirection.

Yep, that's phase 1 of the evil bastard's plan: Changing the spelling of his own name from "Bull" to "Bill" without anyone noticing. I'd say he's managed that rather well. We must stop him before the rest of his plan comes to fruition!

Zachary Amaranth:
It might work on some, but I have a dictionary.

See, I never understood that. If you don't know how a word is spelled, then how can you look up how to spell it in a book with words listed in alphabetical order?

Buretsu:

Zachary Amaranth:
It might work on some, but I have a dictionary.

See, I never understood that. If you don't know how a word is spelled, then how can you look up how to spell it in a book with words listed in alphabetical order?

Okay, I really hope you are joking.

...PLEASE tell me you're joking.

SmashLovesTitanQuest:

(I mean seriously people, I was joking. How the fuck do you read DoPo's post, then mine, and not get the joke.)

You have over 5000 posts on the Escapist. You should expect this.
OT: That's just silly.

Ve are ze Grammer Nazis

Ve are Legion...

To be honest no plan to make the world collectively more stupid by getting word to spell things wrongly isn't going to work.. We'll all just start spelling things wrong..and assume its the right way..

Elmoth:

You check every word. . . word. . . you mispell in the dictionary?

I don't HAVE TO check everything I misspell in the dictionary. Most of the time, when spell check flags a word, I know what's wrong with it. Large or complex words, however, I have learned not to just blindly rely on an spelling program. I'm a freelance journalist and one day aspire to be a published novelist. It's a bad idea to rely on that kind of info.

Zachary Amaranth:

Buretsu:

Zachary Amaranth:
It might work on some, but I have a dictionary.

See, I never understood that. If you don't know how a word is spelled, then how can you look up how to spell it in a book with words listed in alphabetical order?

Okay, I really hope you are joking.

...PLEASE tell me you're joking.

Well, I tried looking up the word that means spelling something the way it sounds, but I looked through the entire F section and it wasn't there...

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